Swiss balloonist Bertand Piccard was forced to abandon his first attempt to circumnavigate the world non-stop in a balloon six hours after take-off because of a fuel leak, January 12, 1997.
His second attempt began January 28, 1998.
Well on his way, Piccard had to abandon this attempt when China refused him entry, causing him to miss out on needed winds.
After weeks of delays trying to get fly-over permission from China, Piccard and British balloonist Brian Jones took off from Chateau d'Oex in the Swiss Alps on March 1, 1999 for a third attempt.
They drifted down to North Africa, crossed toward Asia and, with prior permission, passed over southern China.
A jet stream whisked them over the Pacific Ocean and then grinded to a near halt over Central America.
They picked up another jet stream, and on March 19, beat the endurance record set just two weeks before.
On the morning of March 21, after 19 days, 21 hours and 47 minutes aloft, balloonists Piccard and Jones landed on the Saharan sands of southern Egypt.
Unfavorable winds prevented their hoped-for landing near the Pyramids.
They had crossed their 9 degrees longitude finish line the day before, setting a record for the first nonstop hot-air balloon circumnavigation of the globe.
For their feat, Anheuser-Busch Corporation awarded the balloonists a cup and $1 million prize money, some of which they will use to start the Winds of Hope Foundation charity.
The International Olympic Committee will award them the Olympic Order.
